Launch App (IDB)
idb-launchLaunch iOS apps by bundle ID, stream stdout/stderr, pass arguments, set environment variables, and receive process ID with failure diagnostics.
Instructions
idb-launch
Launch application on iOS target - start apps with optional output streaming and environment control.
Overview
Launches installed applications by bundle ID with optional stdout/stderr streaming, command-line arguments, and environment variables. Extracts process ID for tracking, streams app output when debugging is needed, and provides detailed error guidance for launch failures (app not installed, already running, crashed on launch).
Parameters
Required
bundleId (string): App bundle identifier (from idb-list-apps or app installation)
Optional
udid (string): Target identifier - auto-detects if omitted
streamOutput (boolean): Enable stdout/stderr capture with -w flag
arguments (string[]): Command-line arguments to pass to app
environment (object): Environment variables to set (KEY=VALUE format)
Returns
Launch status with success indicator, bundle ID, extracted process ID, streaming status, captured stdout/stderr (if streaming enabled), error details if failed, and troubleshooting guidance (app not found, already running, crash logs).
Examples
Simple launch for UI automation
const result = await idbLaunchTool({
bundleId: 'com.example.MyApp'
});Launch with debug output streaming
await idbLaunchTool({
bundleId: 'com.example.MyApp',
streamOutput: true,
environment: { DEBUG: '1', LOG_LEVEL: 'verbose' }
});Launch with arguments
await idbLaunchTool({
bundleId: 'com.example.MyApp',
arguments: ['--test-mode', '--skip-intro']
});Related Tools
idb-list-apps: Find bundle ID of installed apps
idb-terminate: Stop running app
idb-ui-tap: Interact with launched app UI
Notes
With -w flag: Streams stdout/stderr (useful for debugging)
Without -w: Fire and forget (app runs in background)
Returns process ID for tracking app lifecycle
Supports command-line arguments and environment variables
IDB uses --env KEY=VALUE format for environment variables
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| udid | No | ||
| bundleId | Yes | ||
| arguments | No | ||
| environment | No | ||
| streamOutput | No |